1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to e image forming apparatus that can be easily initialized when an image carrier or a process cartridge is exchanged.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus, when an image carrier or a process cartridge was exchanged, the initialization is required and much labor is needed to input data for the initialization. In the Japanese Laid Open Patent No. 9-190121, an image forming apparatus that stores such data as amount of use, characteristics of a process cartridge in a non-volatile storage means provided in a process cartridge and makes the reading/writing through the main body of the image forming apparatus is disclosed.
However, the above-mentioned image forming apparatus has such problems that cost increase results from the use of a non-volatile storage means and increase in the number of replacing parts in the recycle of used cartridge of which life war exhausted is caused.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that requires no initialization when exchanging an image carrier or a process cartridge and does not cause cost increase.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising an image carrier for forming an electrostatic latent image; and developing means for forming a developer image on the image carrier by supplying a developer to the electrostatic latent image; the image carrier including a tube; a photosensitive layer that is provided at a part of the tube and forms an image forming area; and a magnetic recording layer provided at the outside of the image forming area.